George Carlile KWJZ-MJY and Laura Ann Moore Giles KWJZ-MJB – A Heber Fort Family. Their cabin was located along 5th North between 2nd and 3rd West between William Dameron and George’s brother James Carlile.

George Carlile was born in the remote village of Misson, Nottinghamshire, England, on April 11th, 1836, the youngest child of Robert and Christina Spouncer Carlile. At the age of 12, George was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The entire family, in fact, were converted to this new religion along with many others that flocked to the message of the restored gospel.

Thereafter, plans were made to immigrate to the new gathering place in Utah Territory. Travelling to Liverpool, the Carlile’s, among 250 recent converts, boarded the ship Zetland that set sail in October 1849 headed for New Orleans. Following a 69-day voyage, they arrived on Christmas Day, 1849. From there they took a crowded steamboat up the Mississippi River to St. Louis. After a couple of months there, they continued their journey along the Missouri River to Council Bluffs, Iowa. The entire Carlile family remained in Council Bluffs for the next 2 years (1850-52). Those old enough to work earned money for supplies, wagons and cattle for the nearly 1,000-mile trip to Utah Territory.

In 1852, George, with his parents, a wagon and ox team secured a place in the 7th company under the direction of Captain Henry JM Jolley. After arriving, the Carlile’s travelled to Provo in October then to a new settlement, south of Utah Lake, named Palmyra in November. In 1853, 17-year-old George was enlisted to assist with the Walker War, that had its start in nearby Payson and was a dispute between the settlers and local Indian tribes. Later, in 1857, George also served at the Echo Canyon skirmish during the Utah War when Johnston army was coming into Utah Territory.

Because of the continued conflicts with the local tribes, the extended Carlile families moved to near-by Spanish Fork in 1856, that provided greater safety. During this time George courted and married a young lady named Laura Ann Giles. They were married in Provo on November 25th, 1856.

Laura Ann Giles (known as Ann throughout her life) was born on April 19th, 1837, at Newark, Nottingham, England to Elizabeth Susannah Moore and became the adopted daughter of Thomas Huskinson Giles. Like the Carlile family, the Giles’ heard and received the message of the restored gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Ann was baptized on January 27th, 1852, after other family members had been baptized previously. Following conversion, the Giles’ also made plans to emigrate to America. These plans were met with challenges to raise money for the expenses of the daunting passage. Finally, on March 2nd, 1854, they were all able to set sail for America. Ann was leaving behind her native land, maternal grandparents that she dearly loved and other childhood friends, but with the attitude of a bright future ahead.

While Ann had a somewhat quiet personality, she also had good health and a dependable nature which served her well during the passage and then to her new home in Utah. The ship arrived in New Orleans on April 26th, 1854. From there the family took a steamboat up the Mississippi to Quincy Illinois where other extended family members had found employment the previous year.

In the Spring of 1856, the Giles family left Quincy heading for Florence, Nebraska, the staging location for those crossing the plains. On June 5th, they left Florence with the Philemon C. Merrill company arriving in Salt Lake City on August 16th, 1856, with the expedition taking just over 10 weeks. Two days later they moved to Provo, Utah. Just 3 months after the family’s arrival in Utah County, George and Ann were married. For a short time, the couple lived in Provo but then moved to Spanish Fork where George had built a house.

On April 30th, 1859, George, two of his brothers: John and James, along with several other men departed to explore and settle “Upper Provo Valley” later to be named Heber Valley. Following the planting of crops and the building of cabins to establish the formation of the fort, George returned to bring his young family to their new home. George and family were one of nineteen families to spend that first winter in Heber.

In 1860, following a tragic and accidental death of his brother John and his eldest brother Isaac and family returning to Council Bluffs because of dissatisfaction with Utah, George and brother James returned to Spanish Fork to bring their aged parents to join them in Heber. George and Ann established a home in Heber and reared their seven children in their new and growing valley.

Ann was a very good cook not only for her family, but later she cooked and served at banquets and weddings. She enjoyed seeing the community grow and develop from her dirt floor and roof cabin to fine homes, business and entertainment establishments to bless her life and those of her children and others. In 1893 George and Ann separated and were divorced. While this was a very difficult experience for Ann, she had children and family to lend support and bless her life. Ann passed away at her home on May 26th, 1907, at the age of 70. Her funeral was held at the stake tabernacle, and she is buried in the Heber City cemetery.

George was re-married to a widow, Susannah Daybell Pollard. While they had no children together, they took in four-year-old Nellie Simmons and raised her before Nellie died a few years later. George passed away on January 29th, 1909, at the age of 73. His funeral was held at the tabernacle where many of his Walker War comrades were present. He was likewise put to rest in the Heber City cemetery.

George Carlile and Laura Ann Moore Giles’ seven children:

Maria Ann Carlile – born on June 3rd, 1858, at Palmyra, Utah. (She was the first white child born in Palmyra/Spanish Fork). She married William Rasband, and they had nine children: Frank married Sarah White, Elizabeth married Henry Baird, Mary married Vernon Wickman, George married Margaret Hicken, Erwin married Della Moulton, Viva married Adam Rennie, Don married Cleo Smith, Muriel died during childbirth, and Ida married Casy Watkins.

Sarah Jane Carlile – born on September 30th, 1859, at Heber City, Utah (Likely the first white child born in Heber Valley) she married Caleb Moore, and they had three children: George died at 68, Alexander was killed in France during WWI at the age of 31, and Della married Dennis Christensen.

Lovina Elizabeth Carlile – born on April 11th, 1863, at Heber City, Utah. She married Fred Buell, and they had nine children: Lovina died during childbirth, Mary married James Simkins, Lulu married William Henrichsen, Don died at eleven months of age, Owen married Lizzie Hicken, Golda married Orrol Race, Florence married Clarence Gilner, Lois married John McConkie, and a baby “Buell” died during childbirth.

George Robert Carlile – born on June 19th, 1865, at Heber City, Utah. He married Marion Neil, and they had six children: Sheila married Thomas Winterton, Earl married Lula Daybell, George married Fern Price, and he was killed during WWI at the age of 24, Hartley married Florence Price, Marion died at twelve years old, and Roe married Pansy Winterton.

Thomas Franklin Carlile – born October 26th, 1868, at Heber City, Utah. He married Jane Neil, and they had seven children: Reul married Helen Sequin, an unnamed daughter died during childbirth, another daughter died during childbirth, a son, Thomas died during childbirth, Melva married Alfred Peterson, another son died one day after birth, and Roland married Leah Nelson.

Alfred Lorenzo Carlile – born September 30th. 1872 at Heber City, Utah. He married Jane Neil, and they had four children: Laura married Lorenzo Caldwell, Orel passed away at the age of 31, Viola married Orris Hiatt, and Rilla married Melvin Larsen.

William Moore Carlile – born April 9th, 1877, at Heber City, Utah. He passed away in Heber City at the age of 4 years.

Written by Ron Carlile

Heber Valley Heritage Foundation